The Grafton Monster cryptid

a large humanoid creature know as the Grafton Monster stands in the moonlight

Creeping out of the shadows of West Virginia folklore, it’s the Grafton Monster in all his monstrous glory. Let’s find out more about this humanoid cryptid from US folklore.

Updated: 16th Mar 2024

Author: Mythfolks

What is the Grafton Monster?


The Grafton Monster is a cryptid reported to inhabit the town of Grafton in West Virginia.


Descriptions vary, but it's often described as a humanoid creature with smooth, pale skin, likened by witnesses to that of a seal.


When did the monster stories first originate in Grafton?


The stories of the Grafton Monster began circulating in the mid-20th century, particularly in the 1960s. Eyewitnesses claimed to have encountered a mysterious creature matching the description of the beast sometimes also called the Monster of Taylor County.

a large hairless humanoid walks the streets of grafton west virginia
hairless humanoid walks along street

How big is the Grafton Monster?

Descriptions of the Grafton Monster's size vary among eyewitness accounts, but it's generally portrayed as a large creature, standing around 10 feet tall.


What does the Grafton Monster sound like?

Reports regarding the sounds associated with the Grafton Monster are relatively limited. Eyewitness accounts and folklore often focus more on the creature's appearance rather than its vocalisations.


Could the Grafton Monster be Bigfoot?


The Grafton Monster is unlikely to be Bigfoot, as descriptions from eyewitness accounts differ significantly between the two cryptids.


Reports from Grafton specifically described the Grafton Monster as a large humanoid creature with smooth, pale, seal-like skin, lacking distinctive facial features or hair.


In contrast, Bigfoot is consistently depicted as a hairy, ape-like humanoid with clearly defined head and facial characteristics.

the grafton monster of west virginia walks down an urban street

Does the Grafton Monster appear in the video game Fallout 76?


It sure does. In Fallout 76, a game set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of West Virginia, the Grafton Monster is a mutated creature that players can encounter. It's a massive, aggressive creature with multiple eyes and a tough exterior.


The in-game Grafton Monster is a fictionalised version inspired by the local legend of the Grafton Monster in West Virginia. Some would say a fictionalised version of a fiction. It’s one of the many mutated creatures that roam the wasteland in the Fallout universe, adding to the game's eerie and atmospheric setting.


How does the video game version differ from the local legend in appearance? 


In Fallout 76, the Grafton Monster is a mutated creature, influenced by the game's fictional world where nuclear radiation has caused significant changes to the flora and fauna. It's basically what you'd expect a mutated version of a large, hairless, humanoid creature to look like.

The Fallout 76 Grafton Monster is a hulking, mutated creature with a tough and scaly exterior, compared to the more humanoid descriptions in local folklore. The game takes creative liberties to fit the Fallout universe's theme of post-apocalyptic mutations and altered creatures.


Essentially, the Fallout 76 Grafton Monster is a reimagined, mutated version inspired by the legend, tailored to fit the game's unique setting and narrative. It adds an extra layer of mystery and danger to the wasteland exploration in the Fallout series.


So is the Grafton Monster real?


Well, like the rest of the cryptid family, there’s a reason they’re grouped as such. With only sporadic reports of possible sightings over the years, the Grafton Monster is one of the rarer US cryptids and that only adds to the mystery of the legend.

illustration of the grafton monster of west virginia

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